volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

The output power of antennas is an important factor affecting the radiation performance of umbrella antenna arrays. Considering the power limit of very-low-frequency (VLF) umbrella arrays and the uncontrollable directivity, we propose a novel method for the spatial power-combining (SPC) of VLF umbrella arrays. Using multiple groups of feeders, the problem of phase shifting of the signals can be solved for VLF arrays. In the high-frequency portion of the VLF range (25-30 kHz), this novel method can improve the efficiency of VLF arrays by 26% in the special directivity. A model of a trideco-tower umbrella antenna array is established in the FEKO simulation software. The simulation results show that, compared with the in-phase feeding, the VLF transmitting antenna array forms the main beam in all directions. The array gain of the umbrella phased array in the 0° (180°) beam position is larger than 1.1 dB. The front-to-back ratio of the arrays is 3.7 dB. Compared with the in-phase feed mode, the directivity of the phased array enhances and the efficiency increases markedly. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

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Dr. Bin Li

Prof. Chao Liu

Dr. Ying-Hui Dong